By Amber Holloway —
Our partner South India Gospel Outreach (SIGO) is reaching the Lingayats, a people group who lives in the South Indian state of Karnataka. Eleven million Lingayats live in Karnataka, yet only about 5,500-6,000 know the truth of the Bible. Though you may not have heard of them, the Lingayats are the 12th largest unreached people group of India. The Lingayat come out of a Hindu tradition, but the founder was opposed to animal sacrifice, caste hierarchy, and societal divisions, and thus the Lingayats hold a number of beliefs that stand in stark contrast to traditional Hinduism.
Our partner Pastor Mallanna, the leader of SIGO, has been serving the Lingayat people for many years. He came to know the Lord when a classmate in college gave him a copy of John’s gospel. He was powerfully affected by what he read and later put his faith in Christ. Immediately after his family discovered he had become a Christian, he was expelled from his home.
Today, many years later, Lingayat believers are facing the same challenges. In fact, over the last three years, SIGO’s house churches have faced increased opposition and attacks. However, they have also seen encouraging results such as new believers being baptized and new house churches starting.
One of these new house churches began with a young man named Manjunatha. He is 21 years old, married, and works as a farmer. From childhood, he followed the religious practices of his parents. But then one day he met one of SIGO’s evangelists. This evangelist was visiting Manjunatha’s village to distribute a tract called “Darkness to Light.” (Your gifts through Partners helped print this tract.) Manjanutha accepted the tract, but since he had a long day of labor ahead of him, he placed the tract unread by the television, then left to work on his farm.
Later that day, Manjanutha’s parents saw the tract sitting by the TV. They asked their daughter-in-law what it was. She said she didn’t know, but since his parents were illiterate she volunteered to read it to them. Page by page, she read the booklet to them. The testimonies of Lingayats finding new hope and life in Christ stirred their hearts. When Manjunatha returned home from the fields, his parents narrated to him what they had learned from the tract. Curiosity increased in the family as they discussed what this new information could mean in their lives. The next day Manjunatha met with the SIGO evangelist who gave him the tract. The Gospel was shared and the entire family came to know the Lord. Since then, the family has been baptized, and a small prayer cell has started in the village.
The state of Karnataka is a key state for ministry in India as it is currently ruled by a political party which opposes the spread of the Gospel. “An anti-conversion bill is before the parliament and president to approve,” said Pastor Mallanna. “In spite of persecution all over the state and false accusations against village evangelists of forced conversions, the Spirit of God is leading His chosen ones to further His eternal Kingdom.”
Last year, 754 people came to faith in Christ through SIGO’s ministry, and 30 new churches were planted. — Partners International
I know Mallanna. Praise the LORD for his work. May more people become followers of Jesus.
Hell with religion man, if you are a good person, that is enough to have a good life, in India these evangilist are working hard to increase christian community whereas the western world are moving away from religion. Fighting and proving who is better is not Gods way, selling and promoting God makes God nothing but a commodity
Dear Brother in Christ
This message comes to you from Cochin, Kerala,India
I am an independent gospel worker aged 70 years engaged in hospital ministry,tribal evangelism,family counselling,empowering and encouraging , the under privileged and people in distress in the precious name of Jesus Christ.
I would like to get in touch with people of similar interest for the expansion of this ministry.
Pl. contact me e mail [email protected]
If any boy/girl/orpahn/families/widow/widower is interested in needing a job and shelter i can bring them here in Kerala and provide them shelter and job.
Pl. let me know
K. George Joseph
If you are not good at your birth religion. .. will u remain good in your newly embraced one. I doubt. .. it s all business at the end of the day.
If they move to Christianity, a dogmatic belief system, then they surly are moving to DARKNESS . Pity!
How is this different from vultures trying to prey on innocent lives. Let people live for themselves. Stop pushing your beliefs onto others.
Why beg…none if the hindus or muslims beg to pray to their gods..why dont they shift to America..y stay in a Hindu country and commit adultery
Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara or Jesus or Allah are the same. They are considered as Supreme Almighty by their followers. Then what is the need to get people converted from one faith to another ? .This is the reason for disharmony and unrest in the world.
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